Many people will have heard of narcolepsy but may not know much about the condition itself. There is some school of thought that the condition is genetic whilst there are also suggestions that it is caused by a lack of the chemical hypocretin within the brain. Narcolepsy disrupts the brain's sleep and awake cycle so that the sufferer can just suddenly sleep at any odd times throughout the day and may face irregular sleep during the night. It is not a lack of sleep which instigates this condition; narcolepsy sufferers experience the same irregular need for additional sleep even if plenty of rest has been experienced. Concentration can be difficult and sleep can occur quickly and without desire for just a few seconds or some minutes.

There are other symptoms too:

• Sufferer's report being unable to speak or move when they are about to fall asleep and the same situation occurs on waking
• Muscle tone can be suddenly lost without warning and this can be instigated through experiencing a strong emotion such as fear. People have been known to collapse when these symptoms strike
• Some sufferer's report that they see strange things just as they are falling asleep or again, on waking up. These hallucinations are understandably quite worrying to many

Many more people may suffer from this condition than are currently known and this is because narcolepsy is not widely known and so many people just do not tell their doctors. Diagnosis is important however as ignoring the symptoms will not make the situation improve and could actually be fatal for the sufferer because it may be possible to fall asleep at the wheel of the car for example.

Whilst there is no known cure for narcolepsy, there are medicines which can be taken to improve the loss of muscle tension and which will help to control the sleepiness symptoms.

Self-Help

If you think that you may be suffering from this condition or suspect that someone else is, report it. Obtaining a correct diagnosis is important and can help to improve the sufferer's life dramatically.

Meditation

There is a fear surrounding narcolepsy and this is because so little appears to be known about it to the general public. Combating the fears with meditation can be greatly beneficial. Healing meditations can also be used which can help to promote inner healing and a sense of well-being.

Homeopathy and Herbalism

It is worth trying out various treatments suggested by qualified herbalists or homoeopathists as these can work well alongside medical treatment to provide a balanced treatment program.